Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. American Psychological Association (2013), "the discipline embraces all aspects of the human experience — from the functions of the brain to the actions of nations, from child development to care for the aged" (para. 1). American Psychological Association (2013), "in every conceivable setting from scientific research centers to mental health care services, "the understanding of behavior" is the enterprise of psychologists" (para. 1).

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Saturday, May 11, 2013

What specific brain structures are involved in motivation and emotion? What role do these structures play in motivation and emotion? Include examples to demonstrate your points.

The specific
brain structures involved in motivation and emotion are the limbic system,
which is made of four main structures, such as the regions of the limbic
cortex, the amygdala, the hippocampus, and the septal area. These four
structures form the connections between the limbic system, hypothalamus,
cerebral cortex, and thalamus (Cherry, 2013). Limbic system structures are
involved in many of an individual's motivations and emotions, specifically
those that are related to survival (Cherry, 2013) The limbic system is key in
the control of emotional responses, such as anger, fear, and emotions related
to sexual behavior. Its functions include emotions, drives, and behaviors as
well as the sense of smell, learning, and long-term memory (Cherry, 2013). The
limbic system is also linked to the brain's pleasure center and the prefrontal
cortex. Therefore, it is involved in feelings of pleasure that are related to
an individual's survival, such as feelings of pleasure experienced from sex and
eating (Cherry, 2013). The hypothalamus is also an emotional center, as in it
controls molecules that make an individual feel unhappy, angry, or exhilarated.
The cingulate gyrus, another structure of the limbic system is involved with
sensory input that concerns emotions and the regulation of aggressive behavior
(Cherry, 2013).